Device for preventing abnormal growth of infant feet



Feb. 18, 1964 P. WASHINGTON 3,121,425

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING ABNORMAL GROWTH OF INFANT FEET Filed June 29, 1962 United States Patent O M 3,121,425 DEVICE FOR PREVENTING ABNORMAL GROWTH I F INFANT FEET Priscilla Washington, 548 Van Sicklen Ave., Brooklyn, N .Y. Fiied June 29, 1962, Ser. No. 206,312 2 Claims. (Cl. 12880) This invention relates generally to the field of surgical appliances, and more particularly to an improved device for preventing abnormal growth of infants feet.

In newly born babies, the rate of growth is extremely rapid and the bones are correspondingly soft. Particularly when the infant sleeps on its stomach, there is a natural tendency for the feet to be displaced from a directly aligned condition with respect to the lower part of the leg, resulting in an habitual sleeping position which, if allowed to continue, may result in deformation of the bones of the feet, with a corresponding development of club feet and other abnormal conditions. During the period of infancy from birth to approximately six months, this tendency is most pronounced, and, while not necessarily resulting in an abnormal foot condition, among a substantial number of infants even a slight tendency of a foot to be displaced from normal forwardly extending relation may result in a condition which, as the infant grows, may require correction in later life.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved device in the nature of a guide which may be worn by a very young infant in such manner as to engage the instep portion of the foot and gently align the same with respect to the leg so that any tendency of the foot to become misaligned with respect to the leg is corrected.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved preventive and corrective device of the class described which may cause no discomfort to an infant, and in no way hinder normal growth of the legs or feet during extended periods of sleep.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of a preventive and corrective appliance of the class described which may exert only resilient guiding or cor rective forces, wherein no possibility of injury to the infant's foot or leg may arise.

Still another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved device for preventing abnormal growth of infants feet which may be readily installed and removed by the infants mother or nurse, and which may be conveniently placed in a sanitary condition by merely washing the same.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the device may be formed almost completely from molded synthetic resinous foam material, wherein the manufacturing cost of the same may be of a very low order.

Another feature of the invention lies in the fact that the device may be manufactured in a variety of sizes, without extensive modification of the molds employed, whereby different sizes may be substituted consistent with the growth of the child.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear in the pro gress of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of an embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a view in perspective thereof, showing the side opposite that seen in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view thereof.

3,121,425 Patented Feb. 18. 1964 FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal central sectional view thereof showing the device in installed condition.

FIGURE 5 is a rear elevational view thereof.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10, comprises broadly: a constraining element 11 and a strap element 12.

The constraining element 11 is preferably formed from synthetic resinous resilient foam material, such as foam polyurethane or foam polyvinyl material. It includes a lower wall 15, a curved forward wall 16, and side walls 17 and 18.

The lower wall 15 is bounded by a lower surface 21, a rear surface 22, side surfaces 23 and 24, and a forward surface 25.

The curved forward wall 16 is bounded by a forward surface 28, and a curved rearward surface 29, the surface 29 including a first portion 30 communicating with the rear surface of the lower wall 15, and a second portion 31 disposed upwardly thereof. The surface 29 cooperates with the side walls 17 and 18 to form a curved recess 32 corresponding generally to the configuration of an infants foot, ankle and lower leg.

The side walls 17 and 18 are generally similar, each including an outer surface 34, a peripheral curved surface 35, a lower surface 35' and an inner surface 36, as well as an opening 37 through which the strap element 12 projects.

The strap element 12 may be of any suitable type, preferably formed from cloth binding tape to include a first member 41 having a plurality of male snap fasteners 42 thereon and a second member 43 having a corresponding number of female snap fasteners 44. As best seen in FIGURES l and 3, the strap element 12 projects through the openings 37 to engage the ankle of the wearer, and around the front wall 16 to maintain the device firmly upon the leg of the wearer.

In use, the foot of an infant, generally indicated by reference character 47, is disposed within the first por tion 30 of the recess 32, so that the ankle 48 is positioned adjacent the strap element 12. The lower portion of the leg, generally indicated by reference character 50, fits into the second portion 31 of the recess 32, and upon engagement of the strap element 12 there is applied a gentle corrective force tending to keep the foot 47 aligned with the leg 50. This force is maintained by contact of the inner surface 36 of the side walls 17 and 18 with the sides of the foot, and the surface 29 upon the instep thereof. This force is created by the distortion of the resilient material comprising the top and side walls as the same is moved from unstressed condition with movement of the enclosed foot with respect to its respective leg. Since portions of the side walls are maintained relatively immobile by the engagement of the strap element upon the leg of the wearer, these portions cannot move with pivotal movement of the foot from the normal forwardly extending relation with respect to the leg. While wearing the device, the infant may move in its sleep, which movement may include the legs, without difiiculty. Any tendency of the feet to become inwardly or outwardly cooked with respect to the leg is gently corrected by the exertion of a resilient force from the device upon the instep 49. As the foam material from which the device is made is extremely soft, even under the exertion of pressure upon the foot, no pain is felt by the infant, who, in fact, is totally unaware of the presence of the device.

It may thus be seen that I have invented novel and highly useful improvements in devices for preventing abnormal growth of infant feet, in which there is provided a simple synthetic resinous foam appliance which may be readily manufactured and as readily employed by the mother of an infant during the early stages of growth; By the time the infant has reached the age ofi six months, the device may be discarded, or, in the event that further assistance is needed, the device may be substituted for by one of slightly larger dimension to take into accountthe growth of the child. I

I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

I claim:

1. A device for preventing distortion of the foot of an infant during initial periods of rapid growth, comprising: a constraining element and a strap element, said constraining element being formed entirely of resilient compressible material and including a forward wall and first and second side walls interconnected on either side of said forward wall, and extending generally rearwardly therefrom, said side walls each having a lower generally planar surface, said forward wall having an inner surface disposed substantially at an acute angle with respect to said lower surface of said side walls, said side walls each having a generally planar inner surface meeting said inner surface of said forward wall to define a shaped recess, corresponding generally to the upper and side surfaces of a foot of the user, said side walls having slotted through openings therein disposed rearwardly of the inner surface of said front wall; said strap element being of elongated configuration and passing through said slotted openings to extend across said shaped recess, and having first and second free ends selectively interconnectable rearwardly of said slotted openings to maintain the ankle portion of the foot of the wearer engaged therein within a portion of said shaped recess; whereby upon the tightening of said strap element about the ankle, a portion of each side wall is compressibly immobilized with respect to said ankle, and movement of the foot to either side of a predetermined position is resiliently restrained by contact of the sides of the foot with the inner surfaces of said side walls.

2. A device for preventing distortion of the foot of an infant during initial periods of rapid growth, comprising: a constraining element and a strap element, said constraining element being formed entirely of resilient compressible material and including a forward wall and first and second side walls interconnected on either side of said forward wall, and extending generally rearwardly therefrom, said side walls each having a lower generally planar surface, said forward wall having an inner surface disposed substantially at an acute angle with respect to said lower surface of said side walls, said side walls each having a generally planar inner surface meeting said inner surface of said forward wall to define a shaped recess, corresponding generally to the upper and side surfaces of a foot of the user, said side walls having slotted through openings therein disposed rearwardly of the inner surface of said front wall; said strap element being of elongated configuration and passing through said slotted openings to extend across said shaped recess, and having first and second free ends selectively interconnectable rearwardly of said slotted openings to maintain the ankleportion of the foot of the wearer engaged therein within a portion of said shaped recess; whereby upon the tightening of said strap element about the ankle, a portion of each side wall is compressibly immobilized with respect to said ankle, and movement of the foot to either side of a predetermined position is resiliently restrained by contact of the sides of the foot with the inner surfaces of said side walls; said constraining element being formed from synthetic resinous foam material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,656,322 Fischer Jan. 17, 1928 2,734,285 Levitt Feb. 14, 1956 2,838,776 Tax June 17, 1958 2,952,459 Mofiitt ept. 13, 1960 3,027,658 Rigsby Apr. 3, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 177,245 Switzerland Aug. 1, 1935 

1. A DEVICE FOR PREVENTING DISTORTION OF THE FOOT OF AN INFANT DURING INITIAL PERIODS OF RAPID GROWTH, COMPRISING: A CONSTRAINING ELEMENT AND A STRAP ELEMENT, SAID CONSTRAINING ELEMENT BEING FORMED ENTIRELY OF RESILIENT COMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL AND INCLUDING A FORWARD WALL AND FIRST AND SECOND SIDE WALLS INTERCONNECTED ON EITHER SIDE OF SAID FORWARD WALL, AND EXTENDING GENERALLY REARWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID SIDE WALLS EACH HAVING A LOWER GENERALLY PLANAR SURFACE, SAID FORWARD WALL HAVING AN INNER SURFACE DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY AT AN ACUTE ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID LOWER SURFACE OF SAID SIDE WALLS, SAID SIDE WALLS EACH HAVING A GENERALLY PLANAR INNER SURFACE MEETING SAID INNER SURFACE OF SAID FORWARD WALL TO DEFINE A SHAPED RECESS, CORRESPONDING GENERALLY TO THE UPPER AND SIDE SURFACES OF A FOOT OF THE USER, SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING SLOTTED THROUGH OPENINGS THEREIN DISPOSED REARWARDLY OF THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID FRONT WALL; SAID STRAP ELEMENT BEING OF ELONGATED CONFIGURATION AND PASSING THROUGH SAID SLOTTED OPENINGS TO EXTEND ACROSS SAID SHAPED RECESS, AND HAVING FIRST AND SECOND FREE ENDS SELECTIVELY INTERCONNECTABLE REARWARDLY OF SAID SLOTTED OPENINGS TO MAINTAIN THE ANKLE PORTION OF THE FOOT OF THE WEARER ENGAGED THEREIN WITHIN A PORTION OF SAID SHAPED RECESS; WHEREBY UPON THE TIGHTENING OF SAID STRAP ELEMENT ABOUT THE ANKLE, A PORTION OF EACH SIDE WALL IS COMPRESSIBLY IMMOBILIZED WITH RESPECT TO SAID ANKLE, AND MOVEMENT OF THE FOOT TO EITHER SIDE OF A PREDETERMINED POSITION IS RESILIENTLY RESTRAINED BY CONTACT OF THE SIDES OF THE FOOT WITH THE INNER SURFACES OF SAID SIDE WALLS. 